Bancroft out of hospital after Darwin throat hit

Former Test opener Cameron Bancroft has been cleared of significant injury after being struck a blow in the throat while batting during a Northern Territory Strike League match in Darwin on Saturday.

Bancroft spent the night in Royal Darwin Hospital as a precautionary measure after scans showed he had suffered a cartilage tear to his trachea, but the damage will heal naturally and the 25-year-old was discharged Sunday morning.

However, he won’t take part in Sunday's Strike League match against City Cyclones and his former Test opening partner David Warner.

Bancroft, who has been taking part in the month-long NT Strike League limited-overs competition while serving his nine-month ban from international and state cricket, was struck while batting when he miscued an attempted lap sweep shot.

Batting at number three for his Desert Blaze outfit at Marrara on Saturday afternoon, the 25-year-old had posted a half-century and the Blaze were closing in on victory against Southern Storm when he aimed a scoop against NT seamer Kurt Johnston.

The full delivery took the top edge of Bancroft’s bat and flew directly into the under-side of his jaw and windpipe, which caused the usually unflinching batter to prop on his knees in obvious discomfort.

Bancroft then slowly raised himself to his feet as he was checked by medical staff who had been summoned to the middle, and walked gingerly towards square leg before eventually resuming his innings.

He was dismissed four balls later, trapped lbw by Storm spinner Joel Logan, having scored 62 from 66 deliveries after 105 minutes at the crease, and was later taken to Royal Darwin Hospital for a precautionary scan.

Warner's City Cyclones will bat first in their Sunday match-up with the Desert Blaze in what will be the former Test vice-captain's final innings in the competition.

SCORECARD: City Cyclones v Desert Blaze